John Hires grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and chose to follow Jesus at a young age. Even as a middle school student, John had a heart for sharing the gospel. In sixth grade, he started a morning Bible study in his science teacher’s classroom on his public school campus. It was there that he began to understand that being a disciple of Jesus means living on mission — sharing the good news with friends and boldly living out his faith.

After seeing fellow students come to Christ during his school years, John sensed a call to ministry right there on his public school campus. He went on to pursue a business degree along with ministry certificates and was later ordained as a pastor. Since sixth grade, John has remained committed to equipping students to share the gospel on their campuses. He has preached in churches, trained leaders, and led teams on mission trips to share Christ in multiple nations around the world.

John married his best friend, Joni, in 2006, and together they welcomed their daughter, Hannah, in 2009. His family continues to be a vital part of his ministry and calling.

John began serving with First Priority in 2013 after a local campus coach invited him to learn more about the ministry. Over the years, he has served as a campus coach across multiple schools connected to his local church, building strong partnerships and a growing network of leaders. His leadership and passion led him to serve as a Network Representative, and in 2026, he joined the team as an Area Coordinator.

John is deeply passionate about helping students understand who they are in Christ and empowering them to lead. He believes students are not just the future of the Church — they are the Church today. His heart is to coach and equip them to boldly share the gospel and make disciples on their school campuses, in their communities, and around the world.